The Monkey In The Middle?

[Liz]

Lynn St. James and Sarah Fisher went out in the same "incident". They were going three-wide into a two-wide corner (as they say in the BTCC "Three into Two Won't Go!) - but I never did hear who was the monkey in the middle that caused the whole splat, and what happened to him.

Anybody know?

[WickerBill]

Jacques Lazier was on the bottom, Fisher in the middle, St. James on the outside (pinching down). Lazier made it through the melee.

WB

[Liz]

Thanks. I didn't have the replay and they never mentioned his name.

[Nuvolari]

As reported in the Washington Post: [After the incident]"Almost immediately, without even realizing who was driving the car along the inside, Fisher shouted over her headset to team owner Derrick Walker, 'I'll kill that son of a gun!'

"While Fisher was diplomatic about the accident, Walker was somewhat less gracious.

'Mister Lazier made two in the corner into three and left no room . . . Only a third into the race, that is a bonehead move.'"



[This message has been edited by Nuvolari (edited 29 May 2000).]

[Liz]

When reached for comment, "Mister" Lazier said, "Aah, they're just a coupla girls anyway, and they oughta be back at the trailer cookin' mah dinner anyways."

No, he didn't say that. But I bet he was thinking it.

[Dan Friel]

Laizer and Sarah Fisher (who I was extremely impressed with - only 19!!!) were racing each other, whilst dear old Lyn St James was just getting in everyone's way... she shouldn't have even been on the track as everyone else looked in a different league.. That's apart from Mr Montoya, who made everyone look like a bunch of amateurs!!!

It would seem that the IRL are a way behind CART in terms of top drivers - and I guess Montoya may have signed for Williams...

[marcus]

well I was actually impressed with sarah fisher..she drove pretty well and was reasonably on the pace until the crash...as for lyn ..im not sure what she was up to all day ..she is a better driver than that but she was to slow and when the leaders came up to lap her for the first time was not interested in moving over at all...as for the crash thats racing isnt it just a shame they had to pick each other out but looking at the replay again Jacques Lazier probably was to blame

[Liz]

Of course he was. But Sarah did fine for a first time out. She will get'em next time!

[WickerBill]

Fisher and St. James were opposites -- Fisher kindly said "it wasn't my fault, I don't think it was anyone's fault", while St. James immediately placed blame on Fisher before she even knew that there was a third car. St. James has wrecked out of her last four 500s; she's out there cruising at 201mph, waiting to wreck so she can get some camera time.

To me, Sarah is more composed in front of the camera than many long-time vets.

WB

[Liz]

As you know, I am generally against women in the top levels of motor sport, but I will gladly make an exception for Sarah Fisher. She is out there to race and she has absolutely no trace of "attitude" - and if the commentators et al. didn't mention it, nobody would think about what gender she happened to be.

Sadly, I must agree about Ms. St. James. Her time is past. But I think there are very few men her age who would be any better - it's what I wondered about in an earlier thread when I asked if her age would play a part in her success or failure. I believe it did.